Vial necking machine



March 11, 1941. R. H. KOENIG VIAL NECKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 1 ROBERT H KOENIG,

March 11, 1941. R KOENK; 2,234,308

VIAL NECKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 11,1941. R KQENIG VIAL NECKING MACHINE '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 22,1938 3mm ROBERT fi.KQENlC-i,

Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Robert H. Koenig,Vineland, N. J., assignor to Kimble Glass Company, Vineland, N. J acorporation of Illinois Application December 22, 1938, Serial No.247,282

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine for shaping the necks ofvials, and more particularly to die mechanism for forming a thread onthe neck of a vial. More specifically, the invention pertains to a novelform of rotatable die designed to cooperate with a plug which isinsertable in the neck of the vial and which is expanded after insertiontherein.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a threadingdie, together with means for rotating the die and a lost motion orfloating connection between the die and the means for effecting rotationthereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel form of plugconsisting of two parts movable with respect to each other and adaptedto be inserted in the neck of the vial being shaped to force the plasticglass into the thread forming contour of the die.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide means forexpanding the plug in timed relation to the thread forming operation,which means includes mechanism for stopping rotation of the die.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description of themachine taken in connec tion with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the necking mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side view partly in section of the mechanism shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a front view partly in section of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the supporting rollers;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the die andexpansible plug; and

Fig. 6 is a front view of the plug shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, it will be seen that the mechanism is mounted. on atray l0, this tray being reciprocably slid'able on the main part of themachine (not shown) and adapted to advance the plug and die toward aglass blank and withdraw them from the blank after the threadingoperation. Joumaled in the main part of the machine forwardly of thetray ID in brackets H secured to the frame of the machine are rollers ordiscs I2, some of which ar adapted .to support a glass blank 13 in axialalignment with a die l4 and expansible plug l5 and others of which arepositioned laterally of the die to sup-port the blanks over burners forpreliminary heating thereof. A disc I6 is journaled with its axispositioned above the axes of discs l2 but skewed'w-ith on pins 19, theirfree ends having arcuate shaping portions 2|, as indicated in Fig. 5.Pins [9 are secured to blocks 22, 22' adjustable laterally with respectto each other to permit the position of the pivots to be changed. Thisarrangement is necessary in order that the plug may be expanded 5 apredetermined distance depending on the internal diameter of the neckdesired. The free' ends of the arms l8, 18' are normally urged towardeach other by springs 23, 23'.

Fixed to tray I0 is a support block 24 on which a die holder 25 isslidably and adjustably supported. Rotatably journaled on the di holderis a die frame 26 having ball bearings 27 interposed between the frameand the die holder. The die frame consists of a cup-shaped bearingportion 28 having diametrically opposite webs 29 connecting the bearingportion of the holder with a ring 30. The die proper is indicated at 3|and. consists of a circular plate having a threaded bore 32 designed toform threads on the vial when the neck portion thereof is engaged by thedie. This die is connected to the die frame by means of pins 33. One endof each of the pins 33 is headed at 34 and adjacent its other end acotter pin 35 is inserted therein. Spring 36 surrounds each of the pins33.and is interposed between the headed end of the pin and ring 30 tourge the di toward the holder, but permits the die to move axiallyrelative to the holder. Interposed between ring 30 and the die is aflanged bearing ring 31. It is to be noted that rings 30 and 3! areprovided with openings 38, 39 each larger in diameter than pin 33. Onthe other hand, openings 4-] in the die have diameters substantially thesame as that of pin 33. will be seen that the die has a limited 10stmotion or floating connection with the die holder 50 that its axis maybe adjusted radially and circumferentially as well as axially withrespect to the die frame. itself automatically during the threadingoperation.

Integrally formed with the die frame is a plurality of blades 42 bestshown in Fig. 3. The faces of these blades are disposed at an obtuseangle with respect to a tangent drawn to the periphery of the dieholder. Positioned adjacent the die holder is a nozzle 43 adapted todirect air under pressure against the blades 42 to revolve the dieholder. The nozzle is provided with a valve 44 Hence, it

This permits the die to adjust to permit regulation of the flow of airfrom the nozzle so that the speed of rotation of the die holder may becontrolled.

The means for expanding the plug consists of a cam 45 fixed to shaft 46.Also fixed to the shaft 46 is a cam operating arm 41. Pivotally mountedon the machine frame is a rocker arm 48 having a lateral extension 49thereon. This extension in turn is provided with a yoke arm 52 having ayoke'at the end thereof cooperating with the cam operating arm 41.Suitable cam means 53 adapted to rock arms 48 and 54 swing the camoperating arm 41 toward the axis of the plug, causing cam 45 to movearms l8 and I8 away from each other. In this manner the plug I5 isexpanded. Continued advancement of yoke 52 causes the cam operating arm41 to be swung past the axis of the plug until lug 55 on extension 49 ispositioned in the path of blades 42. When lug 55 engages one of theblades, further rotation of the die holder and die is arrested.

Prior to the threading operation the vial is preliminarily shaped ornecked by means of a tool 56 swingable toward and away from the glassblank I3. This tool is mounted on arm 51 which in turn is secured tobracket 58 pivoted at 59. The bracket is provided with an opening 6] inwhich is positioned a rocker arm 62 adapted to be rocked by cam means 63to rock arms 62 and 64, hence bracket 58, and thus first advance andthen withdraw tool 56 with respect to the glass blank.

The die frame is adjustable vertically and laterally, as well aslongitudinally, with respect to the support block. Vertical adjustmentis effected by means of a suitable threaded connection (not shown)between the die holder 25 and block 24. The die holder is normallyretained in a retracted position by spring 55, the latter being securedat one end to pin 66 on the holder and at the other end to a pin 61 oncollar 68 which is fast on rod 69. Rod 69 is secured to carriage II. Itwill be seen that block 24 is provided with an extension 12 having anupstanding flange 13 thereon. Slidable on rod 59 is a threaded collar 14having a nut 15 adjustable along the length thereof against which spring16 abuts. The other end of spring 16 bears against flange 13. To adjustcarriage 'H and holder 25 laterally of block 24, there is provided athreaded rod 11 connected to the carriage with which cooperate nuts 18bearing against stop piece 19.

The means for reciprocating the pan l0 and block 24, together with thecarriage, holder and die frame mounted thereon, include cam 8|, rocker82, and bell crank 83, one arm of which engages fork 84 on block 24.Forward movement of the block causes flange '13, through spring 16 andcollar 14, to urge carriage H and the die axially of and toward theblank to be shaped.

The operation of the machine will be apparent from the foregoingdescription. The blank is first transferred by a conveyor (not shown) tothe adjacent rollers I2, the peripheries of which, as will be seen fromthe drawings, overlap each other to support the blank. At this station,the end of the blank is preliminarily heated after which it is movedinto substantially axial alignment with the plug and die. At thelast-mentioned station the blank is supported by the adjacent rollersl2, the peripheries of which are also in overlapping relation. Rotationis imparted to the blank by means of the skew roller which, in additionto rotating the blank, urges it toward the stop plate to position theblank in proper relation to the sizing tool 56. This latter tool reducesthe end portion to form an unfinished neck on the blank.

It will be understood, of course, that at the finishing station arelatively intense flame is directed against the rotating blank to meltthe end portion thereof until it is in a plastic condition. Thesupporting trayis then moved forwardly by rocking of the lever 83 untilthe blank is positioned within the rotating die. At this time thereduced neck on the blank is somewhat smaller in diameter than theinternal diameter of the die, and it is for this reason that the splitplug is expanded to force the glass into the threads of the die. In thismanner threads are formed on the outer wall of the neck while the innerwall thereof is smoothed by the arcuate surfaces of the plug.

As stated hereinbefore, the rotation of the plug expanding cam iseffected by the extension 49 having thereon the stop piece or lug 55which, when moved sufficiently toward the axis of the plug, will bepositioned in the path of the blades 42 to arrest rotation of the die.At this time, cam 8| and lever 83 return the die holder to its normalposition, the die is withdrawn and, since the skew roller continues torotate the blank during withdrawal of the die, the blank is unthreadedtherefrom. It is to be noted that the die is so mounted on itssupporting plug that it has a lost motion or floating relation withrespect thereto to enable it automatically to adjust itself during thethread forming operation. In so adjusting itself the cooperating die andplug form a threaded neck having a uniform wall thickness. On the otherhand, while the plug expands to form a predetermined internal diameteron the neck, it also has a tendency to position the floating die inaxial alignment therewith to insure the uniform thickness of the wallreferred to.

While a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to thedetails shown in the drawings, but may be modified without departingfrom the basic features thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a vial necking machine, a die having a threaded bore for formingthreads on the vial neck exterio-rly of the neck, an expansible plugadapted to be inserted into the mouth of the vial neck and adapted toshape the interior of the neck, means for rotating the die, means forexpanding said plug radially outward with re-. spect to said threadedbore, and means for actuating said expanding means, said actuating meansbeing engageable with the die rotating means after the plug has beenexpanded-to arrest rotation of the die.

2. In a vialnecking machine, a die for forming threads on the vial neckexteriorly thereof, an expansible plug adapted to be inserted into themouth of the vial neck, means for rotating and supporting a vial inaxial alignment with said die, a supporting member for said die, meansfor reciprocating said member axially with re spect to the vial, ayieldable connection between said member and said die, andmeans forexpanding said plug.

3. In a vial necking machine, a die having'a threaded bore for formingthreads on the vial neck exteriorly of the neck, a plug having a surfacefor shapingthe interiorv of the neck, a rotatable-dieframe; said diehaving a lostmotion connection with said frame, and means for rotatingsaid frame and said die.

4. In a vial necking machine, a die having a threaded bore for formingthreads on the vial neck exteriorly of the neck, a plug having a surfacefor shaping the interior of the neck, a rotatable die frame, a yieldableconnection between said die and said frame, said connection permittinglimited circumferential and radial movement of the die relative to saidframe, and means for rotating said frame and said die.

5. In a vial necking machine, a die having a threaded bore for formingthreads on the vial neck exteriorly of the neck, a plug having a surfacefor shaping the interior of the neck, a rotatable die frame, a yieldableconnection between said die and said frame, said connection permittinglimited axial movement of the die relative to said frame, and means forrotating said frame and said die.

6. In a vial necking machine, a die having a threaded bore for formingthreads on the vial neck exteriorly of the neck, a plug having a surfacefor shaping the interior of the neck, a rotatable die frame, a yieldableconnection between said die and said frame, said connection permittinglimited axial, circumferential and radial movement of the die relativeto said frame,

and means for rotating said frame and said die.

7. In a vial necking machine, a die having a threaded bore for formingthreads on the vial neck exteriorly of the neck, an expansible plugcomprising a pair of arms each pivoted at one end and having a shapingportion at its free end, means normally urging the free ends of the armstowards each other, cam means engaging the arms intermediate the freeends and the pivoted ends and adapted to move the free ends radiallyoutward with respect to said bore to expand said plug, and means forvarying the distance between the pivoted ends of the arms.

8. In a vial necking machine, a die having a threaded bore for formingthreads on the vial neck exteriorly of the neck, an expansible plugadapted to be inserted into the mouth of the vial neck and having asurface for shaping the interior of the neck, said plug comprising apair of independently pivoted arms, a pair of plug supporting membersmovable relative to each other, each forming a fulcrum for one of theplug arms, means for positioning said supporting arms in predeterminedspaced relation to each other, and means for expanding said plug to urgethe neck of the vial into the threaded die.

ROBERT H. KOENIG.

